Titanic's band leader was denied holiday that could have saved his life, letter reveals

The Titanic's band leader was denied a holiday which could have saved his life by his "vindictive" employers, a letter from his parents has revealed.

The letter by Albion and Elizabeth Hartley to their son Wallace Hartley, who famously ordered musicians to carry on playing as ship went down, was written the day before the "unsinkable" liner left on its doomed maiden voyage in 1912.

The letter is now tipped to sell for an estimated £25,000 Credit:
BPNS

In it they criticised his employers for making him go straight from one cruise liner on to the Titanic without a proper break in between.

His father movingly signed off the letter with the words: "I hope that things will turn out for you alright."

Wallace, 33, led the eight-piece orchestra on the deck of the stricken ship to help calm the passengers after it had struck an iceberg and began to sink in the north Atlantic.

The Titanic leaves Southampton on her ill-fated maiden voyage on April 10, 1912Credit:
AFP/Getty Images

When Wallace's body was recovered from the sea 10 days later and his valise case holding his violin was still strapped to his body, aiding its buoyancy.

Among the personal effects found on him was the letter which was in remarkably good condition having been kept out of the water by the combination of his life jacket and violin case.

It was returned intact to his grieving parents in Dewsbury, West Yorks.

It is now tipped to sell for an estimated £25,000 after it was put up for auction by a private collector of Titanic memorabilia.

Wallace had been the leader of the band that played on the ship the RMS Mauretania which docked in Liverpool on April 8, 1912.

As he stepped off the ship, an employee for music agency CW & FN Black was waiting for him to confirm an earlier offer of promotion to Titanic which was due to sail from Southampton two days later.

Wallace, who had been away at sea for several weeks on Mauretania, sent a telegram to his parents to inform them he wouldn't be able to spare even half an hour at home as he had to travel to Southampton.

In his reply, his father wrote they were disappointed he was unable to see them but realised his time was very limited.

He added that he felt his employers had shown a "rather vindictive spirit".

“The fact he had this letter on him at the time of the sinking illustrates the meaning and importance he attached to it. It clearly meant an awful lot to him.”

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge

The letter also mentions Ellwand Moody, a cellist who played alongside Hartley. He declined the chance to go on Titanic and instead chose to return home to his family in Leeds.

He later revealed that while on the Mauretania he "chaffed" Hartley about going on Titanic, jokingly telling him he "would not see New York again".

Moody added: "I did not know how true my words would be."

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge, of Henry Aldridge and Son of Devizes, Wilts, said: "It was the last letter sent from Wallace's parents.

"The fact he had this letter on him at the time of the sinking illustrates the meaning and importance he attached to it. It clearly meant an awful lot to him.

"The content is very good and offers a fascinating insight into life at home."